hucknall byron Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Sorry if this has been asked before but was any BR mark 1 passenger stock converted into non passenger use? I am thinking by plating over the windows and removing seating etc? If so I would be very interested in any details. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted May 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 27, 2020 First example that springs to mind would be the Courier Van. BSK's which were converted. Toilet and first seating compartment were retained. Second and fourth compartment windows plated over and a roller shutter door inserted into the third. TOPS code NNX I think. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SP Steve Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Depending on what you mean by non-passenger use then HST barrier coaches would qualify - at least three of the East Coast stock came from Mk1 conversions. Also Doncaster / Crewe works test trains had Mk1s but not sure if this involved plating over windows. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 (edited) There were also the Bullion coaches, gangway end connections not present to isolate the coach from the train, the windows were for a compartment for the Police attendants, the coach floors were improved "belt and braces" in case of floor failure and the cargo falling through. Unsure as if they were conversions or as built specials. These coaches would travel in regular service trains as extras to a formation, they ran on the ECML from my personal sightings, when were they last used? postscript: one is preserved, see link for a short history: https://www.nlr.org.uk/about-nlr/stock-list/coaches/br-mk-1-vxx-bullion-van-№889301/ Edited May 27, 2020 by Pandora 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 There was a solitary coach converted into a van, and diagrammed to work from Banbury and Coventry; presumably intended for the mail-order traffic from Kaleidoscope. I have the number somewhere. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 21 minutes ago, Fat Controller said: There was a solitary coach converted into a van, and diagrammed to work from Banbury and Coventry; presumably intended for the mail-order traffic from Kaleidoscope. I have the number somewhere. Was that the plastic ( GRP ) bodied conversion ? - if not, that's one more. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Of course there was a whole fleet of Generating Steam Vans converted from BSKs & BCKs : - 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giz Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Quite a few of the TPOs were conversions from SKs and BSKs e.g. sorting vans 80381 to 80395 and storage vans 80403 to 80414, 80431 to 80439. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halvarras Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 1 hour ago, Fat Controller said: There was a solitary coach converted into a van, and diagrammed to work from Banbury and Coventry; presumably intended for the mail-order traffic from Kaleidoscope. I have the number somewhere. Sounds like you're referring to the BRUTE carrier E85000 (converted from CK 15170), which I did indeed see at Banbury in the 1970s, and once at Didcot I think. Its flat sides and minimal windows would make it an interesting and cheap conversion of an old Mainline or Lima Mark 1 with the sides cut away, if one's modelling 1970-82 and fancies a bit of basic scratchbuilding. Mr Bartlett has a nice collection of images of this vehicle. 35 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said: Of course there was a whole fleet of Generating Steam Vans converted from BSKs & BCKs : - Mostly if not all in Ireland, as shown. Over here in the 1980s we had Generator Van ADB975325, converted from BG 81448 which enabled non-ETH locos to haul ETH stock. I believe this vehicle is still in service with a charter company, numbered 6310?? This was one conversion I did do, to a Lima BG and had an article on it published in Railway Modeller in the late 80s, although it was of course over scale length. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steven B Posted May 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 27, 2020 The courier and bullion vans are the obvious ones. There's also those converted from Mk1 based EMU and DMU. The Propelling Control Vehicles (PCV) were converted from class 307 driving trailers for example. Several types of multiple unit were converted to parcels use. There were also conversions within the Mk1 parcels vans. Some BGs had corridor connections removed. Some GUV had them added. Both underwent conversion to "Super" status with the plating over of some windows and fitting of roller shutters. Steven B. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted May 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 27, 2020 I have done a cut and shut to do the bullion van on the right and a bash of another BSK to create the Courier Van on the left. Never did get around to applying the white lining though! 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted May 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 27, 2020 8 hours ago, Neil Phillips said: Generator Van ADB975325, converted from BG 81448 which enabled non-ETH locos to haul ETH stock. This van was a one-off vehicle which supplied the 415V 3-phase ETH for HST coaches. It was to enable locos to haul HST sets, firstly due to the late delivery of power cars in the early-'80s but saw further use later on if there was a power car shortage for some reason. Several BGs were converted later to provide ETH for normal loco-hauled trains e.g. Anglo-Scottish sleepers (or more recently, charter trains etc.). These were numbered in the 63xx series (i.e. revenue stock not departmental) as they required main-line level maintenance scheduling. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberdeenBill Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Plenty of Mk1s lost their bodies all together as Carflat conversions... Bill 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted May 27, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 27, 2020 And a good few ended up in departmental use, and as breakdown vans. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dan Randall Posted May 27, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 27, 2020 12 hours ago, Wickham Green too said: Of course there was a whole fleet of Generating Steam Vans converted from BSKs & BCKs : - That looks decidedly odd, without the usual Pullman gangway! Regards Dan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 8 hours ago, Dan Randall said: That looks decidedly odd, without the usual Pullman gangway! Indeed - like the Maunsell coaches the Southern built for through working to the GWR & LMS : they were never converted to 'standard', even when gangway adaptors became commonplace. The odd thing about the Irish vans is that the need for Pullman-gangwayed Genny vans to run with MkII aircon stock was satisfied by heavily rebuilding some of the 'Dutch' vans rather than retro-fitting Mk1s. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken.W Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) On 27/05/2020 at 08:55, SP Steve said: Depending on what you mean by non-passenger use then HST barrier coaches would qualify - at least three of the East Coast stock came from Mk1 conversions. Also Doncaster / Crewe works test trains had Mk1s but not sure if this involved plating over windows. Pretty sure the Doncaster Works test train had plated windows Would often see it work up to Newcastle with a 50 on when they were doing the refurbs. Would use the goods lines behind the station and out over the other bridge to return without running round. On 27/05/2020 at 09:58, Pandora said: There were also the Bullion coaches, gangway end connections not present to isolate the coach from the train, the windows were for a compartment for the Police attendants, the coach floors were improved "belt and braces" in case of floor failure and the cargo falling through. Unsure as if they were conversions or as built specials. These coaches would travel in regular service trains as extras to a formation, they ran on the ECML from my personal sightings, when were they last used? postscript: one is preserved, see link for a short history: https://www.nlr.org.uk/about-nlr/stock-list/coaches/br-mk-1-vxx-bullion-van-№889301/ I was on, as a secondman, a train with one of these once, but that was run as a special train, not in a passenger train. Light engine, a 31 I think, off Gateshead to TCFD (Park Lane) yard, where the train, along with half the local Police force, was waiting. The train was one of these vans, plus one or two, loaded, converted fraightliner flats. Then off to York or Doncaster with it, and I presume it continued on to London. Would have been late 70s / early 80s Edited May 28, 2020 by Ken.W 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted May 28, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 28, 2020 I think the works test trains initially used whatever spare/redundant stock was lying around but as this decreased it made sense to retain a rake of stock specifically for this use. Would certainly make it easier to have the required no. of coaches available and to keep track of maintenance etc. Going into Sectorisation they would avoid the added cost of hiring in the stock, which although possibly redundant, still 'belonged' to someone else. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted May 28, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, keefer said: I think the works test trains initially used whatever spare/redundant stock was lying around but as this decreased it made sense to retain a rake of stock specifically for this use. Would certainly make it easier to have the required no. of coaches available and to keep track of maintenance etc. Going into Sectorisation they would avoid the added cost of hiring in the stock, which although possibly redundant, still 'belonged' to someone else. I remember using the Doncaster MK2 test train to test the second batch of DRS class 20s in early 98 It was all played up and the only access to it was for the handbrake in the former Guards compartment but there was no access into the train from there. Not sure what happened to that train 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 2 hours ago, Ken.W said: ..... one or two, loaded, converted fraightliner flats..... There MAY have been 'converted' freightliner flats - but there were four purpose-built bullion flats ( B99500-3 ) built at Derby in 1971 : B5 bogies enabled these to run fast enough to keep ahead of the felons. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 One more category of MK1 conversions hasn't been mentioned, I don't think : Exhibition Vans ! - 2 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Or electrification flat tops Jon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 1 hour ago, Wickham Green too said: There MAY have been 'converted' freightliner flats - but there were four purpose-built bullion flats ( B99500-3 ) built at Derby in 1971 : B5 bogies enabled these to run fast enough to keep ahead of the felons. Converted BSK As https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/bullionflat Paul 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted May 28, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2020 I thought the Doncaster Trial train was a grey painted rake with BRML on the side ? maybe ive confused the memory. Werent various weedkiller coaches converted from mk1’s, and electrification train coaches ? Then theres the exhibition train, barrier vehicles, shed stores coaches... pretty sure if you look round the network theres probably a few mk1’s in non-commercial use on the network.. A few months back I went past NL and saw a regional railways mk2, a 4 wheeled box van and more. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted May 29, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2020 10 hours ago, Wickham Green too said: One more category of MK1 conversions hasn't been mentioned, I don't think : Exhibition Vans ! - That’s an interesting vehicle. I remember the exhibition stock well from living in Salisbury (where this photo was taken) but don’t recall a coach with windows cut in that position. I wonder which train this was used for? Griff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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